why the San Francisco 49ers will win

Super Week and the media circus is finally over. We've had enough of Manti Te'o, Lance Armstrong, A-Rod, Ray Lewis' twelve year old trial, and deer antler spray. Finally there's a real game to talk about. Here are the five reasons I’m picking the Niners.

5. 49ers have the best players. They’ve had the best ensemble for the last two years (only missing out on the Super Bowl after two special team blunders by fill-in return man Kyle Williams in an OT game). They have better receivers (Michael Crabtree and Vernon Davis with Randy Moss in the redzone), better linebackers (three Pro Bowlers; Patrick Willis, Aldon Smith, Navarro Bowman), and probably the best o-line and d-line in the league. Unlike the Patriots (who also have a ton of good players), the Niners are incredibly physical and great tacklers. Nobody allowed fewer yards after the catch than San Fran. The Ravens do have some legends, but many of them are past their prime at the end of their careers.

4. Who cares about momentum? Everyone interested in this game (that would be every American with a heart beat) says that Baltimore has a lot of momentum going for them right now and that’s why anybody picking the Ravens is picking the Ravens. Well guess what: after 13 days between games momentum is gone. Now it comes down to talent and execution. You know where I stand on the assessment of talent. In five of the last six games of the regular season the Ravens were terrible. Now that “The Return of Ray Lewis Adrenaline Run” has worn off, they will be who they really are: not terrible, but they won’t be as dominant as they have been the last few weeks.

3. 49ers have an incredibly balanced attack on offense. We know Kaepernick can run with it. He can also pass; great chemistry has been developed with Michael Crabtree, and after a slow transition Vernon Davis is clearly on his radar. Frank Gore is one of the toughest runners in the league. Jim Harbaugh has done a great job of using everything and everyone effectively. Baltimore won’t be able to stop them.

2. Law of Averages. Joe Flacco has been so good lately, probably the best stretch of his career. He’s gone 24 quarters without throwing an interception with twelve touchdowns during that time. That can’t continue. He’s not good enough to do it four games in a row against playoff teams. He will struggle against a great 49ers defense with six Pro Bowlers that doesn’t have to blitz.

1. Kaepernicus. Colin Kaepernick is the best player on the field. Put together a machine with everything you want in a quarterback, he’d look like Colin Kaepernick: big, strong arm, accurate, smart, good movement in the pocket, huge speed, unfazed, unafraid, and confident. He beat the Packers with his legs, running for 181 yards and two touchdowns; he beat the Falcons with his arm, completing 76% of his passes, over 11 yards per attempt, for a passer rating of 127.7. He doesn’t make mistakes much but when he does, he shows an uncanny ability to bounce back. Kaep presents too many problems for a defense; he hides the pigskin well (defenders usually have to guess quickly whether he or Frank Gore holds the football, and they usually guess wrong or simply find out too late), and he can gun it anywhere on the field. I know he’s young; I don’t care. There’s no way that the Ravens will be able to stop him.

Miller’s Fearless Forecast: 49ers 30, Ravens 24

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